Julian's Persian expedition; Which Legions and Cohorts Involved?

[AdamPHayes]

I think the shield with the scorpions on is a Praetorian cavalry design. The 4th and last shields are definitely from Dura. The Arms and Armour report on the Excavation at Dura-Europus by Simon James is a good compilation of the military finds. Published by Oxbow Books. It has some colour plates and reconstructions of the shields found there but also discusses other evidence found elsewhere.

[Atheling]

I think the shield with the scorpions on is a Praetorian cavalry design. The 4th and last shields are definitely from Dura. The Arms and Armour report on the Excavation at Dura-Europus by Simon James is a good compilation of the military finds. Published by Oxbow Books. It has some colour plates and reconstructions of the shields found there but also discusses other evidence found elsewhere.

Thanks you Adam. That sounds like just the ticket! 

[Emperorbaz]

I still highly rate the Fall of the West  WAB supplement for the Late Roman Army. If (as suggested earlier) the Gallic army formed the backbone of Julians Persian invasion then FOTW sets our the units in the Gallic force and has some shield designs in the illustrations. But for deeper research I would take the unit names and look further on Luke Ueda-Sarson's notitia dignitatum web pages.

[Atheling]

I still highly rate the Fall of the West  WAB supplement for the Late Roman Army. If (as suggested earlier) the Gallic army formed the backbone of Julians Persian invasion then FOTW sets our the units in the Gallic force and has some shield designs in the illustrations.

I've got Fall of the West. I kept all my WAB Supplements.

But for deeper research I would take the unit names and look further on Luke Ueda-Sarson's notitia dignitatum web pages.

I've got pretty much all the Notitia Dignitatum shileds in colour in Armies of the Late Roman Empire AD 284 to 476: History, Organization and Uniforms, Gabriele Esposito, though there's certainly no harm in double checking with the Luke Ueda-Sarson's notitia dignitatum web pages.

Thanks

[Emperorbaz]

If the book you refer to has all the shield designs in colour then it’s a must add to my library! Thanks

[Atheling]

If the book you refer to has all the shield designs in colour then it’s a must add to my library! Thanks

It does. I cannot vouch for the accuracy though. That's why I wanted to double check them against Luke Ueda-Sarson's notitia dignitatum. If they're both a good fit then that would be good enough for me.

[Emperorbaz]

I agree. Since there are several copies of the notitia with different colour schemes, you have to draw the line somewhere and say that’s good enough. If you are hand painting the shields, or in my case creating transfers, I think a good dash of artistic reinterpretation of the motifs and colours used can bring out some great results.

[Atheling]

I agree. Since there are several copies of the notitia with different colour schemes, you have to draw the line somewhere and say that’s good enough. If you are hand painting the shields, or in my case creating transfers, I think a good dash of artistic reinterpretation of the motifs and colours used can bring out some great results.

I'm going to have to go with transfers. I've got so many projects on the go (which is actually unusual for me over the last few years). Hope I'm not diving back into old habits! 

[bluewillow]

If you stroll though my late roman army I have a few units from my Gordian III army that also served with Julian, you will see in the notes

https://stormandconquest.blogspot.com/search/label/Late%20Roman

cheers
Matt

[Atheling]

If you stroll though my late roman army I have a few units from my Gordian III army that also served with Julian, you will see in the notes

https://stormandconquest.blogspot.com/search/label/Late%20Roman

cheers
Matt

Thanks Matt, that's excellent! 

[bluewillow]

happy to be of service!

[Atheling]

happy to be of service!

It's appreciated mate 

[Ten Fingered Jack]

It's ironic that the Gallic army mutinied and acclaimed Julian emperor because Constantius II wanted to draft vexillations from it for a campaign against Persia. After Constantius' death from disease, the Gallic troops marched East with Julian on his disastrous Persian campaign.

[Shahbahraz]

And a note of caution on Sidebottom. He is very good on Romans, not so much on Persians. But a good read none the less.

[pallard]

Hi Shahbahraz
Could you be a little more specific ? I'm very interested in Sassanid Persians. And I do like Sidebottom's novels.
Philippe